Little Angry DollIt's National Poetry Week - how about a Haiku?
September 6th 2006 15:20
It’s National Poetry Week.
Haiku has become a favourite form of satirical expression in popular culture. Office Haiku, Pet Haiku and Drinking Haiku are just a few topics where the 575 abound.
Simple yet sophisticated, haiku is the expression of a moment felt by the writer and is meant to form an image in the mind of the reader.
For novices, haiku is built on three lines with 5 then 7 then 5 syllables per line…
The first line has five
The second line has seven
The last line has five
Simple? Yes.
Last night I was drunk
Today I am hung-over
Serves me bloody right
Easy? Can be.
The five seven five
Is a compulsion for me
I think in haiku
Addictive? Certainly!
Brief History
Haiku is a truncated form of tanka, the poetry used in the Hiean court of Japan (c795-1185). Tanka consisted of five lines with syllables 5,7,5,7,7. This age produced the two great writers Sei Shonagon, author of the eternally elegant The Pillow Book and Shikibu Murasaki, attributed with writing the first novel, The Tale of Genji.
Traditional haiku contains references to the season, a kigo. A reference to peach blossoms will indicate the first warm days in spring; birds flying south, the first cold days in autumn. But most importantly, haiku is an inner reflection.
Poems were sometimes requested to be made on the spot, agonised over for formal occassions and always expected to excite insight. Tanka and Haiku were also traditionally exchanged between lovers on "the morning after". A "morning poem" was expected. And the tone of the response would give the lover a clear idea if they were welcome again.
Last night I was drunk
Peach blossoms fell on my cheek
Sad my behaviour
Popular Culture and Haiku
It’s old hat – by about ten to fifteen years. Today, everyone is doing it. Everywhere you turn, there are new “witty” haiku books. Never the less, it’s one of the most addictively fun artistic expressions. Start up and before you know it, your right hand will be tapping away 5 then 7 then 5.
My blog is boring
Would a duck egg blue background
Help me? I think not
Real Haiku
It's beautiful. Go to any good haiku site and you’ll be moved.
The orchid blossom
Delicate as our heart shows
Our fragility
Haiku has become a favourite form of satirical expression in popular culture. Office Haiku, Pet Haiku and Drinking Haiku are just a few topics where the 575 abound.
Simple yet sophisticated, haiku is the expression of a moment felt by the writer and is meant to form an image in the mind of the reader.
For novices, haiku is built on three lines with 5 then 7 then 5 syllables per line…
The first line has five
The second line has seven
The last line has five
Simple? Yes.
Last night I was drunk
Today I am hung-over
Easy? Can be.
The five seven five
Is a compulsion for me
I think in haiku
Addictive? Certainly!
Brief History
Haiku is a truncated form of tanka, the poetry used in the Hiean court of Japan (c795-1185). Tanka consisted of five lines with syllables 5,7,5,7,7. This age produced the two great writers Sei Shonagon, author of the eternally elegant The Pillow Book and Shikibu Murasaki, attributed with writing the first novel, The Tale of Genji.
Traditional haiku contains references to the season, a kigo. A reference to peach blossoms will indicate the first warm days in spring; birds flying south, the first cold days in autumn. But most importantly, haiku is an inner reflection.
Poems were sometimes requested to be made on the spot, agonised over for formal occassions and always expected to excite insight. Tanka and Haiku were also traditionally exchanged between lovers on "the morning after". A "morning poem" was expected. And the tone of the response would give the lover a clear idea if they were welcome again.
Last night I was drunk
Sad my behaviour
Popular Culture and Haiku
It’s old hat – by about ten to fifteen years. Today, everyone is doing it. Everywhere you turn, there are new “witty” haiku books. Never the less, it’s one of the most addictively fun artistic expressions. Start up and before you know it, your right hand will be tapping away 5 then 7 then 5.
My blog is boring
Would a duck egg blue background
Help me? I think not
Real Haiku
It's beautiful. Go to any good haiku site and you’ll be moved.
The orchid blossom
Delicate as our heart shows
Our fragility
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Comment by Little Angry Doll
Falling Haiku Leaf
Inner West Life
Perhaps I have one too many
Syllables for each line